1956 Austin-Healey 100M BN2 LeMans Roadster

Successful car designer and rally driver Donald Healey founded the Donald Healey Motor Company ltd. in 1945. He focused on producing expensive, high-quality, performance cars.

Judging a cheaper sports car positioned between MG and Jaguar would sell, Healey designed a two-seat roadster using low-cost Austin components. Austin chief Sir Leonard Lord was so impressed when he spied it at the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show, he offered to build it in his own factories under the name Austin-Healey. This offer led to a joint venture between Austin and Healey creating the British Motor Corporation. Austin-Healey cars were produced until 1972 when the 20-year agreement between Healey and Austin came to an end.

The 100M traces its roots back to the 1953 Le Mans 24-Hour Race, where two lightly modified examples of the new Austin-Healy 100 stunned the motoring world by finishing 12th and 14th overall in a field composed of purpose built race cars. In 1955, the demand for these modifications compelled the Donald Healey Motor Company and the British Motor Corp. to partner to produce a new model incorporating the upgrades as well as high-compression pistons, a louvered bonnet and bonnet strap, a larger anti-sway bar and special-setting shock absorbers. Horsepower increased from the standard 90 hp to 110 hp. The new model was designated the 100M and a total of 640 were produced by the factory.

This car was single family owned from the early 1960s until the current owners purchased it in 2010. It is certified by the 100M Le Mans Registry to be one of the 640 factory built 100 M models. An exhaustive four year restoration was completed in 2003 including a bare metal repaint to its original color scheme of Florida Green over Cream.